Bromeliad plant named `GUZ 203`

ABSTRACT

A hybrid Guzmania plant is compact in size, having a height including inflorescence of fourteen to sixteen inches and a spread of about twelve to thirteen inches. It has broad and closely-set leaves. The leaves are medium-dark green in color and contrast sharply with the vivid red color of the bracts.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

This application relates to a newly developed interspecific hybridGuzmania plant resulting from a planned breeding program which Iconducted on an ongoing basis. The objects of the breeding programinclude the crossing of selected parent plants from the numerous,compatible species within the genus, to obtain plants with novel andattractive phenotypes, coloration, and flowering forms. Other importantselection factors may include ultimate plant size and shape, disease,resistance, tolerance to different soil and growing conditions andvigor.

Included objects of my program are to produce plants which will beattractive to the consumer; which will develop reasonably rapidly undercontrolled conditions; and, retain for a long term, highly attractiveand bright inforescence; i.e., bract coloration, after being inducedinto the flowering stage. It is a specific object to provide a lowmaintenance plant which will be a long term decorative appointment whosebracts offer an exotic color splash in the home of a buyer even thoughits flowers are not prominent. Finally, it is an object to developplants which may be easily and efficiently multiplied by state-of-theart tissue culture methods while continuing the distinctivecharacteristics of the plants through progressive clonal generations.

The plant of this disclosure was a selection from the progeny resultingfrom the cross of Guzmania kraenzliniana, var. kraenzliniana (seedparent) and G. wittmackii `Tomato` (pollen parent). With the recognitionthat this seedling from the cross satisfied the objects of the breedingprogram, it was isolated and set aside for further observation andtesting. The resulting selection has been assigned the designation `GUZ203` for purposes of identification. This plant has been reproduced bytissue culture at Evergem Belgium, and elsewhere, and the clonalspecimens resulting have been determined to be identical to the originalselection in all distinguishing characteristics. The superior attributesof this plant will be revealed in the botanical description to follow:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The attributes of the plant `GUZ 203`, which distinguish it from otherplants of the Guzmania family, are summarized as follows:

It is smaller than other hybrids having an overall height includinginflorescence of about 14 to 16 inches, and a spread of about 12 to 13inches when finished to a stage of full bloom. It can be grown in 4"pots rather than a 6" pot in which most other Guzmania hybrids aregrown. About one year is required to grow from a 1/2" high tissuecultured plant to market. Unlike most other Guzmania hybrids, which havea basal rosette of leaves from which a spike rises topped by a smallerrosette of colorful bracts and flowers, `GUZ 203` is a more open rosettewith fewer leaves, arranged more nearly horizontal. The leaves are smalland reach lengths of about 8 to 9 inches and a width of about 11/4inches. They are closely set, contributing to a compact plant. They areacuminate, tapering to abruptly pointed tips which are recurved andsomewhat twisted. The leaves are smooth and medium dark green in color,obverse and reverse, stained red on reverse and light red in obverse,and blending into a strong reddish brown at the base.

The bracts are more distinctly and vividly colored than those of otherhybrids and are in harmony with the darker leaves. The scape bracts aregenerally red in color on both the obverse and reverse blending into areddish brown at the bract bases. The floral bracts are translucent redin color.

The attractive bright red bract color is rich and more vivid than thecolor of other hybrids and is retained indoors for more than two months.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEW OF THE DRAWING

The single color photograph of the drawing depicts a mature specimen ofthe plant in top perspective angle in mid to late flowering stage.Illustrated are the mature leaves and the spike with small flowershidden or nearly hidden in the cup formed by the floral bracts. Therelative sizes of the lower, splayed intermediate and terminal bractscan be seen by the angle of the illustration. The colors depicted are asclose to the actual coloration of the plant as is possible to attain ina photographic illustration of this quality, however due to factors suchas light reflectance, minor differences in coloration do appear.

The color definitions in the specification to follow have been takenfrom The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. While the colorsdepicted are believed to be of a high level of color fidelity, thecoloration of this plant should be understood to be approximate, andsomewhat variable as a function of cultural conditions and horticulturalpractices. For example, the bract color might slightly fade if the plantis cultured in bright light; the leaf color can be varied by thecomposition and concentration of fertilizer applied to specimens of theplant.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

Parentage: Seedling.

Seed parent.--Guzmania kraenzliniana, var. kraenzkiniano.

Pollen parent.--Guzmania wittmackii `Tomato`.

Propagation: Asexual reproduction by tissue culture.

Classification:

Monocot, Perennial.--Small, vigorous to anthesis relative to otherbromeliad varieties, upright, spreading dense, vase formed, and tender.

Overall height from soil surface.--14"-16" including inflorescence.

Overall width.--12"-13".

Leaves:

Length.--81/4".

Width. 11/4"

The mature plant has between about 12 and 18 leaves. Small, linear,acuminate, acutely pointed medium thickness, medium to dark green andsmooth. 135-A in color. (Obverse and reverse) Stained 181A on reverse,lightly on obverse, blending into lines of 45-B color at base.

Margin.--Leaf tips recurved and somewhat twisted.

Flower buds: Hardiness at temperatures below 32° F. Tender, medium insize, medium length (1"×3/16"), pointed and appressed.

Scape bracts.--61/4"×11/2", narrow deltoid, clasping decreasing to4"×1." 45C in color, obverse and reverse blending into 46A at bractbases on reverse, infrequently on obverse.

Floral bracts.--11/8"×3/16", linear acute, keeled longitudinallythroughout. Translucent 53C in color, irregularly lined and stained 45C.The plant has between about 10 and 16 bracts (floral and scape):

Inforescence a branched spike.

Flowers: Petals free to base, recurved and twisted at anthesis. Corollacylindrical and acute. 3 sepals 7/8×3/16", stained 56-C in color. 3petals 11/8"×1/4", 73-D in color.

Fruit: A three-celled capsule, with pappus.

Disease resistance: No unusual susceptibility to diseases of Guzmaniahas been noted.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Guzmania plant substantiallyas shown and described, characterized by a compact size, broad andclosely-set leaves, and a sharp contrast between the bract color and themedium-dark green leaf coloration, the bract retaining a rich, vivid redcolor indoors for eight weeks.